Tadious Manyepo-Zimpapers Sports Hub THERE is something very special about Simba Bhora president Simba Ndoro. The businessman rarely misses local football matches, including those across all the country’s four regional Division One leagues. And, he first interacted with former Zimbabwe international Joel Luphahla when the latter was coaching Northern Region Soccer League side Golden Eagles, three years ago. Luphahla would be relieved of his duties and went on to join his boyhood club Highlanders as an assistant to Baltemar Brito before crossing to assume the same role at Dynamos last year. With Tonderai Ndiraya leaving champions Simba Bhora for newly-promoted Scottland at the start of the year, Ndoro surprised many across the football divide when he opted for Luphahla, who had previously never taken charge of a top-flight team. “Luphahla is one coach who impressed me when he was still at Golden Eagles in the Northern Region Soccer League. I loved how his charges played beautiful football,” said Ndoro. “His philosophy just excited me back then and I was following his development when he was assistant at both Highlanders and Dynamos. “So, when coach Ndiraya left to join Scottland, I decided that we would sign him as our coach. I knew it was a risky undertaking, getting a coach who had never been in charge of a Premiership team to the helm. “But I trusted my instincts and listened to advice from others as well.” And half way down the Premiership race, Luphahla has led the champions to the summit of the log standings with the Shamva team’s 1-0 win over Yadah on Sunday, coupled with MWOS’ 1-3 loss to Ngezi Platinum Stars. Yet Luphahla, as was expected, started his tenure on a low note, as he tried to rub his philosophy to a collection of players who arrived from all over the country following a mass exodus of the Simba Bhora squad members who were part of the team last season. The lanky gaffer, who has now found his rhythm, said: “Yeah, I thought it was a huge gamble by Simba Bhora to appoint me their head coach this year given I had never been a head coach for a Premier Soccer League team before. “I knew it was never going to be smooth-sailing. I knew it was always going to be tough and tough at first. “The players were coming from different angles and we had to make a team. It was very difficult, you know. But I am happy with how things have turned out so far. “The players are getting used to our system of play and that is one area I am very happy about. The Premiership race is quite tough but I think my guys are playing very well. What I love most about them is their work ethic. “I am very impressed by how all of them are stepping up, trying to improve their game every day.” Luphahla’s management style has also brought the best out of a number of players at Simba Bhora like Emmanuel Ziocha and Junior Makunike. Early this year, Luphahla stated matter-of-factly that he was going to make Makunike a beast. And he was right. The midfielder hardly featured for Simba Bhora last season and, when he featured, he was never close to the potential he had shown when playing for Dynamos in 2023. He has now scored four goals and is easily one of the club’s X-Factors. “One thing I can assure you is that I am going to work on Junior Makunike. He will be the best he could this season,” said Luphahla back in February. “He has the potential and I know the boy well. I know what he needs and just wait and see what he will do in the league this season.”